Festival Review: Bangthebox@Lovebox Friday 14th June 2012

This year the mighty Lovebox Festival celebrated a decade of love! After days of torrential rain and what was set to be a rather damp and dull day for Bangthebox on Friday; the heavens remained closed, the rain mac firmly packed away, and despite some hefty mud swamps, the day was glorious and the festival as expected was excellent. 

Arriving just after 2:30 to hoards of  early birds at the festival gates; it took a while to get past security and there wasn’t a great deal happening at this time around the festival. If you head there next year, give the festival a few hours to warm up. When it does all kick off, there is a lot to see and do at Lovebox. Given we arrived so early, we didn’t expect to leave having only seen a few acts. But after several ciders, much roaming, and several clashes with the main acts this was the case. We did however see Ms Dynamite, Magnetic Man, Roska and Stamina…3 minutes of SubFocus and 10 minutes of Plastician… Not bad really. Ms Dynamite was pure class, and Katy B made a surprise appearance, joining Skream, Artwork and Benga on stage to perform ’Perfect Stranger’ which was a highlight of the day! At 2:40 in the ’I Need Air’ video England score-great moment! For £30 this was a top-notch day festival, and one I would recommend to all lovers of good music!

 

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• Rita Ora flashes boob at Lovebox festival (thesun.co.uk)
• Lovebox festival 2012: Review (digitalspy.co.uk)
• In the Air: Fury as Radio 1′s big festival hits Lovebox (standard.co.uk)
• Lana Del Rey: Lovebox Performer! (justjared.com)

Tickets Still Available – Bang The Box@Lovebox Festival Friday 15th June [Victoria Park-London]

 

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• Win: Lovebox festival tickets with Tia Maria (digitalspy.co.uk)
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• Chaka Khan Joins Grace Jones & Chic at Lovebox For Biggest Disco Ever! (loft965.com)

8 days to go!!!

The Chemical Brothers – Saturate [Rated*****]

Saturate was released on The Chemical Brother’s sixth studio album We Are the Night and it has grown to be one of my favourite feel good pick me up songs. I heard this track for the very first time live among an almighty crowd at the Wireless Festival last year just as the sun was setting over the city and the cider was flowing; it truly was a beautiful musical moment: a building, twisting, highly infectious tune that blends baggy drums with washes of kaleidoscopic electronica; a song with all the grace of a modern dance electronica masterpiece.

 Related articles

• Chase and Status Moshpit Mayhem (renegaderaiders.wordpress.com)
• Chemical Brothers: Don’t Think Movie Trailer (electrifymag.com)
• The Chemical Brothers “Don’t Think” Leak (musicgetsleaked.wordpress.com)

Global Gathering – We Are Officially Ready To Book Tickets!! Immense Line Up!

Newsflash! Global Gathering Friday 27th & Saturday 28th July 2012 – Long Marston Airfield, Stratford Upon Avon

Global Gathering Festival this 2012 is an absolute must!

Visit the website for more information: http://www.globalgathering.com/

Newsflash: A Decade of Love – Raiders Attending LOVEBOX 15th-17th June 2012!

This year is the LOVEBOX festival’s 10th birthday on the earlier-than-usual weekend of 15th, 16th, 17th June 2012, bringing Victoria Park alive with some seriously epic performances. The three-day event will cater for all musical and artistic tastes reflecting the glamour and identity of the dynamic heart of London; defining Lovebox as the true festival experience anywhere in the UK. The Raiders have opted for the Friday ticket, given the line up is tremendously epic…

Tickets, priced between £29.50 and £99, are available now. For more information, visit http://www.lovebox.net/

Full Lovebox Weekender 2012 Line Up:

Friday – Bang the Box [Were going to be doing some serious running around the stages!]

Main Stage

• Hot chip
• Crystal Castles
• Madeon

Big Top (Hosted by Rinse 106.8FM)

• Magnetic Man
• Zinc
• Boy Better Know
• P Money
• Marcus Nasty
• Plastician
• N Type
• Roska
• Trim

The Stockade

• 2 Bears

Digital Soundboys Eastside Carnival

• Sub Focus Live
• Rusko
• Shy Fc + Stamina MC
• Breakage
• The Toddla T Sound
• Youngman Live
• The Heatwave
• B Traits

The NYC Downlow [Hessle Audio Presents]:

• Pearson Sound
• Ben UFO
• Pangaea
• Benji B
• Picture Music pres Lapalux b2b Dauwd

Saturday

Main Stage

• Friendly Fires
• Emeli Sandé
• Kelis
• Little Dragon

Second Stage

• Azealia Banks
• Crazy P

The Big Top – Hospitality

• Netsky
• High Contrast
• David Rodigan
• Camo & Krooked
• Danny Byrd
• London Elektricity
• SPY
• Logistics
• Nu:tone
• The Prototypes
• Fred V & Grafix
• Dynamite MC
• Wrec
• Lowqui
• SP:MC
• AD
• Risky

The Stockade – Crosstown Rebels present A Rebel Rave

• Damian Lazarus
• Maceo Plex
• Art Department
• Amirali LIVE
• Robert James

The NYC Downlow (Hosted by Warm & Electric Minds)

• Dixon
• Prosumer
• Move D
• Joy Orbison
• Gerd Janson
• Warm Residents

Sunday (Out & Out Fierce)

Main Stage

• Holly Johnson
• Azari & iii
• Nikki & The Dove
• Jonny Woo Etc

Second Stage (Hosted by Dalston Superstore)

• The Rapture
• Patrick Wolf
• Tyson
• Ronika
• The Golden Filter
• Penguin Prison

Big Top (Hosted by Gutterslut & Trailer Trash)

• DJ Hell
• Ivan Smagghe
• Gutter Slut DJ’s
• Pr QX
• Nic Fisher
• Ralf
• Miss Crystal MC
• Trailer Trash DJ’s
• Hannah Holland
• Mikki Most

The NYC Downlow (Hosted by Horsemeat Disco)

• Jim Stanton and James Hillard
• Luke Howard
• Severino
• Andrew Weatherall
• Tim Sweeney
• Optimo

The Stockade – This is…Circus

• Kris Di Angelis
• Jodie Harsh
• Joshyou Are

 

Related articles

• Live Review: Lovebox, Sunday 18th July, Victoria Park (independent.co.uk)
• Newsflash! First Names On Bloc.2012 6+7 July Line Up Announced (renegaderaiders.wordpress.com)

Newsflash! First Names On Bloc.2012 6+7 July Line Up Announced

Orbital / Flying Lotus / Gary Numan / Ricardo Villalobos / Squarepusher / Battles / Jeff Mills / DOOM / ATOL / Ellen Allien / Apparat Band / Four Tet / Shakleton / Joker / Scuba / Clark / Scion ft. Tikiman / Sandwell District / Actress / Jacques Green / Joymaster / Jackmaster / Addison Groove / Joy Orbison / Byetone / Boddika / Carl Craig presents 69 / SND / Objekt / Lucy / Daniel Stefanik / Oneman / Deadboy / Redhino / Spencer / + many more to be added…

Amazing line up: Check out previous Raider post on Bloc.2012 weekend and location backdrop information.

Check out the Bloc.2012 website:  http://www.blocweekend.com/

I would just like to add that I am beyond excited about seeing Sandwell District play live…I have been waiting for a while! Furthermore, note how apt the Orbital video is given it is filmed right in front of Millenium Mills.

Get Out of the Mosh Pit, Granny Smith!

Whilst I love a festival, I absolutely hate the crowds…a secret agoraphobic, I can usually be found on the peripheries of the stages relishing the music in the comfort of swinging arm space and completely avoiding the sardine kettling crowds. But at Wireless Festival Saturday 2nd July 2011, I found myself walking freely towards the front few metres of the stage in sardine territory [agoraphobic no-mans land] among a seemingly sparse docile crowd. This is the first time I’ve braved such close proximity to a stage and needless to say, the moment Chase & Status started their show the festivallers tidal waved forward with grimace bass faces, and my panic set in. Edging away from the front, but remaining close enough not to appear like a complete rave pussy… there was nowhere to hide.  Chase and Status opened with their massive track “No Problem” and  as soon as the drop came the crowd went literally mental. I had several bottles lobbed at my head and got caught between 3 separate mosh pits [the last few seconds of the video are the very moments before mosh rapage ensued]. What a show! Utterly terrifying, but amazingly epic and completely encompassing everything you would expect from a Chase and Status performance and a bass hunting crowd. Note to all viewers of my Chase and Status experience-apologies for my random ‘yeahing’ and ’woooing’; I was in a skull face bass trance. Also note the bellowing ’where’s the mosh pits?’ from the speakers followed by severe camera shakage and the end to the video….dum dum duuuum! Review/video pending for the Headline act at Wireless Festival 2011 [Chemical Brothers]. 

Bloc.2012 Weekend Festival 6+7 July – London Pleasure Gardens – Royal Victoria Docks

As if the research for my previous post was entirely meant to happen; like I have been having epiphanies for months before I even knew it…I stumbled across Bloc.2012. For the past 5 years Bloc festival has been held at various quiet sea-side resorts; but unable to cope with the expanding come back crowds and the high-octane, high volume events, this year Bloc has a new home in Royal Victoria Docks. ”Set by the water’s edge, overlooked by the monolithic post-industrial derelict buildings of Britain’s former glory (Millenium Mills-clink on link to see previous post for near epiphany ramblings!] licensed until 6AM, the Pleasure Gardens will provide Bloc with a home like no other.”

The project is the brainchild of the crew behind the late-night area of Glastonbury known as Shangri-La, and if anyone has been lucky enough to visit this area at the almighty Glasto festival, they will know that this means tremendously exciting things for Bloc. Mark my words, I have a feeling Bloc.2012 is going to go off big time!

Bloc 2011 played host to an amazing line up including: Aphex Twin, Magnetic Man, Ben Klock, Roska, Beardyman, Joy Orbison, Seth Troxler, LFO and Four Tet to name only a few; and previous years to that, the line ups have been equally epic. The line up for Bloc.2012 will be announced on February 1st, so standby for updates. (We expect some absolute corkers!)

The Raiders are certainly attending and cannot wait!

Visit website for more information: http://www.blocweekend.com/

Buy tickets: http://www.blocweekend.com/tickets/ (Weekend Ticket £99, Express Ticket £125, Early Bird Offer Buy 5 get the 6th Free)

Visit the London Pleasure Gardens Website for more information on the Bloc.2012 project aims, location, and vision: http://www.londonpleasuregardens.com/

Bloc 2012 from Bloc. on Vimeo.

 

London’s Pleasure Gardens: REVEALED from London Pleasure Gardens on Vimeo.

London’s Answer to the Berghain – Millenium Mills [Pontoon Docks]

Isolated, imposing and post apocalyptic, the Spiller’s Millenium Mills located along the Royal Victoria Docks in South East London, is a sight to behold; a haunting icon of post-industrial Britain. Recent research has highlighted that  the current future prospects of Millenium Mills involves its regeneration into a 5,000 home waterfront development… I simply cannot explain my utter disappoint at this. Besides the fact building has become a much-loved portrait of the post-industrial landscape and a back drop in countless films and television shows…to demolish this uncannily stunning fifty-nine acre site, would be to rid the Royal Docks of a location of a potentially epic sight for…a super club! Every morning for the past 3 months I have passed this foreboding building on the DLR, and lost myself in fantastical dreams of converting Millenium Mills into Berghains bigger grittier sister from South Easy. It radiates the same eerie colussuness as Berlin’s Berghain (clink link for Raider Berghain review) but on an even grander scale. Set aside in a ghostly landscape of what once London’s largest flour Milling industry at Royal Docks, this building is the last of the factories standing since the docks closed definitively in 1984. The interior is as amazing as the exterior and for those that have visited the Berghain club, as can be seen on the below video there is a strong likeness in the industrial mechanized interior of both.

The building is seriously decaying and security patrols round the clock to prevent urban space explorers entering the dangerous site. But with the right designers and building planners, some redesigning, knock through some floors for an extreme high ceiling club space, insert some beastly subwoofers throughout, attract the right crowds with the best DJ’s and music artists on the scene and Millenium Mills could not only be a massive competitor to the Berghain club, but it could be the new mothership of clubbing and potentially the most amazing clubbing space in the UK and Europe.  Big ideas; big dreams…but to turn this building into flats would be a complete waste of epicness.

It is my belief that London is certainly lacking in noteworthy clubbing/music spaces and among the hundreds of derelict buildings dotted around urban areas of London, this building could be the answer. My promise fellow ravers, when I win the Euromillions next week, I will use my winnings to create a clubbing haven in the heart of South East London. Just you wait…

If the Lottery happens to cheat again; then let us hope a rich raver will share my vision.

Visit this website for some remarkable pictures of the interior of Millenium Mills: http://www.contaminationzone.com/Gallery9.php

Watch the following video created by ”kenturbex” on YouTube, the filming is beautiful.

Dimensions Festival 2012 [Croatia]

The guys behind the bass driven festival Outlook in Croatia have just released details about their latest endeavor Dimensions, a festival that focuses on the “deeper end of the electronic spectrum”. Dimensions will take place at the same  abandoned Croatian fort as Outlook and will take place on the following weekend to its sister festival on September 6th – 9th. The line up which is still yet to have more names added, is teaming with the biggest names in dance music at the moment featuring the likes of Moodyman, Marcell Dettmann, Scuba, Shackleton, Joy Orbison, Boddika, Kyle Hall, Blawan, Floating Points, Gold Panda, Ben Klock, 2562, Ben UFO, Pearson Sound, Pangaea, Pinch, and Mala. This is definitely one to keep an eye on and is set up to be one of the most exciting new festivals this year.

You can find more details here

Tiësto@Tomorrow Land 2011 (Rated *****+ravetears)

Silence, Traffic, Adagio- oh my! DJ Tiësto’s performance at TommowLand 2011 was truly epic and festivalers were graced with what is likely to be the most memorable festival moments of 2011. If you have not seen this before, prepare for goosebumps, heaven reaching arms, and a tear in your eye…this would have been one of those rare rave experiences you continue to long for at other festivals but never quite gets there.  

Snowbombing Festival April 9-14 2012 [Mayrhofen, Austria]

Snowbombing is a festival filled with fresh air, blue skies, black runs and white-hot parties… An exhilarating week-long whirlwind of brilliant bands and world-class DJs in the alpine setting of Mayrhofen, Austria. After a blistering event in 2011, Snowbombing is regarded by many as, ‘The Greatest Show on Snow’. A unique, mischievous celebration that everyone should experience. Raiders are hoping to book and preparing to party. From strictly come hoe downs, fancy dress street parties, backcountry parties and arctic discos, this is the festival to attend. Replace the tents for saunas and enjoy a truly immense line up.

Visit the website for all information on ticket prices, travel and accommodation. http://www.snowbombing.com/en/